


Unexpected Third Party

by silence_since_silence



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Canon Era, Druids, F/M, First Time, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Marriage of Convenience, Multi, Porn With Plot, Post-Finale, Romance, Sharing a Bed
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-28
Updated: 2016-12-28
Packaged: 2018-09-12 14:10:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9075295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silence_since_silence/pseuds/silence_since_silence
Summary: Some years after losing Arthur, Gwen has come fully into her own as Queen. She rules in strength with trusted First Knights Sir Leon and Lady Gytha by her side. Despite this, there are still other kingdoms who see Camelot as vulnerable and Gwen ruling alone as an advantage to expanding their territory. Gwen makes a proposal to Leon, her most trusted friend and advisor, in an attempt to make Camelot appear more stable and thus diffuse the tension between Camelot and its neighboring kingdoms.





	1. First Time - part 1

**Author's Note:**

> Starter note: This work was originally created for a specific recipient in the [Merlin Holidays fest](http://merlin-holidays.livejournal.com/), but was not completed during the allotted time frame. (It's been a busy few months for me.) It can therefore not be listed in the fest's final collection. However, I believe this is important information for this work's intended recipient to understand why their name is in the "gift this work to" line, so I am taking a moment here to pimp the fest and will be keeping the summary and notes that I originally planned to include. ... You may have noticed that there is no giftee listed yet. That is by design. Starter note over.
> 
> Hello recipient! I hope you find this story a happy surprise, as I know the depth of your love for Merlin/Arthur would have made that option a very welcome gift as well. I didn't expect this trio to grab me the way it did! There were so many possibilities in the request you created. :)
> 
> While the nature of the Merlin hols fest causes its projects' contents to be secret, there are still people to be thanked for their influence or input on this one. My thanks to everyone who I wrote alongside in November for the simple fact of existing, and also for being excited about writing - yes, every single one of you, including those of you who don't know I'm talking about you right now; to my lovely beta B for catching whatever I missed; and to the Merlin hols mods for running the fest again and for continually being wonderful.

Sir Percival kneels in front of Queen Gwen. His head is bowed. His eyes are closed because he wants to allow himself a private moment to prepare for what is about to happen. Gwen’s hand touches Percival’s shoulder in encouragement, and Percival looks up at her.

She looks determined but still the smallest bit apprehensive.

“Do not fear, highness,” he says.

Percival brings his bent leg down. He shuffles on his knees closer to Gwen.

Both of Gwen’s hands rest on Percival’s shoulders for balance, but she still stands as straight as possible.


	2. Several Days Earlier in Council

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lady Drea and Lady Gytha are knights. Lady Cade is a noblewoman. Delwyn is a female Druid council member.

Sir Leon stands from his chair at the round table.

“The latest report from the northern border patrols indicates that there has been a rise in confrontations between our own knights and the knights of the two kingdoms along that border, with some of these confrontations even becoming violent,” Sir Leon says. “If these confrontations had all taken place in taverns while the knights were off duty,” – some of the other knights around the table smirk and glance at Sir Gwaine, – “or if the men were fighting over some local beauty, I would not present this information to this council. However, there are many instances when the foreign knights came up to the border in groups and barely toed the line between overly-spirited competitive baiting and blatant acts of war. It has been suggested by the heads of these patrols that the kings of these kingdoms are encouraging or even ordering their men to test these areas of our border for potential invasion. The foreign knights appear to be testing the waters, so to speak, for a good place for their armies to jump in and take control over some of our land.”

“Are our peace treaties with these kings so disrespected that the kings would ignore the good that has come of them just to gain more land for their kingdoms?” Queen Gwen asks.

From another seat at the table, Sir Leonard II stands. “My lady, when my family visited with our daughter, who you are aware is married within that foreign court, we heard through the gossip among the nobility that the king there thinks Camelot weak because of its rule by one lone woman. The king there makes no secret of his belief that women are inferior to men and cannot be trusted with ruling something so large as a household, let alone a kingdom.”

“Despite the many examples to the contrary that are readily apparent among the women of the court to anyone with _eyes_ ,” adds Sir Leonard III from his chair next to his father’s and with obvious disdain for the king in question.

Several side conversations break out all at once among the council members over the abilities and merits of the queendom’s own women knights and the wives of the men present.

After half a minute, Queen Gwen calls everyone back to business. “While I greatly appreciate the conversations you are all having, we do need to discuss this matter further. Advisors to Camelot: does this report indicate that we should be preparing for war with two kingdoms, or can this situation still be salvaged?”

There is silence as the advisors to Camelot’s queen think over the matter.

Sir Elyan stands. “While I wish I weren’t the one to suggest this, there is one option that could speak to at least one of these kings.” He takes a deep breath. “You could marry.”

“That _might_ help,” says Gaius, “if you could marry someone – perhaps a foreign prince – whose influence would swiftly silence the kings’ opinions and armies.”

“The wedding would have to take place soon so the situation cannot escalate. Within a week. Two weeks at most,” Lady Cade says.

“We should send a delegation to these foreign kings to invite them to your wedding or the surrounding celebrations,” Sir Leon adds.

“It would still be advisable to quietly make war preparations in case a royal marriage does not solve the problem,” says Geoffrey of Monmouth.

“The marriage could really work, though, if the groom is someone who is well known in other kingdoms and well respected as intelligent or strategically gifted by the foreign community,” says Lady Drea.

“And someone who is, most notably, male,” Sir Gwaine says. He adds a flirtatious wink to the queen.

“Thank you for volunteering yourself, Sir Gwaine,” jokes Queen Gwen. “I shall have to think on this marriage idea. Council will reconvene tomorrow. In the meantime, to those of you whose regular duties entail these tasks, I will need inventory reports created regarding stores, arms, and persons. Sir Leon, Lady Gytha, and Delwyn, please wait. Council is adjourned.”

Queen Gwen remains seated and listens to the sound of thick wooden chair legs scraping against stone. When only she and the three others remain, she stands and says, “Please come with me.”


	3. In the Small Room After Council

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Delwyn has empathic powers of Sight that she learned to command in her youth spent as an apprentice to another Druid Seer. Delwyn also spent much time traveling between and with different groups of Druids, which makes her an excellent advisor to a non-Druid ruler with many Druid people under that rule.
> 
> There are also other Druid advisors on the round table council.

Queen Gwen, Sir Leon, Lady Gytha, and Delwyn move to a small room off the great hall where their conversation can be more private.

Once the door shuts, Queen Gwen asks, “Delwyn, do your powers tell you anything?”

Delwyn nods formally to accept the queen’s permission to look into Gwen’s personal future. Delwyn looks with unfocused eyes at Queen Gwen. To Gwen, it appears that Delwyn is looking through her. Delwyn hums quietly to herself as new information is revealed to her. She says, “Choose the path of confrontations: there your friends will be laid to rest; choose the path with crossed swords: there you shall be laid along _with_ your friends; make the wrongs ring out: never shall you see Mildgyth and Winifred meet; weave rings of truth: your dreams of unity will be met. Let your heart decide what is right and best.”

Delwyn’s eyes refocus on Queen Gwen.

“Thank you, Delwyn,” Queen Gwen replies. “Please come to me if you learn anything more. You may go.”

Delwyn smiles lightly and bows, then leaves the room.

Queen Gwen turns back to her remaining two companions. “Lady Gytha, your task now is to inspect and make ready the men and women who may soon become our troops. Get the inventory report of individuals who have fought for us before. Find out who can be added. Be sure they are all up to the task in both spirit and skill.”

“Yes, my lady,” Lady Gytha replies.

“Be sure to attend to this task as quietly as possible. We do not want the kings to get word of an army of Camelot being raised before that army is prepared. We do not want the border confrontations to escalate,” Queen Gwen says.

“I will be discreet, my lady,” Lady Gytha assures.

“Very good. You may go, then,” Queen Gwen says.

Lady Gytha leaves with a bow.

When the door is closed again, Sir Leon breaks the silence first. “My lady, surely we can find an option other than war with two kingdoms!” Sir Leon pleads.

“Do not fret, dear friend. Lady Gytha’s task will, hopefully, be unnecessary,” Queen Gwen replies.

“Then why start to make plans and move the people of Camelot to worry when it is unnecessary?” asks Sir Leon.

Queen Gwen looks thoughtful for several seconds. Eventually she nods slightly and says, “We’re going to do both, because Geoffrey was right.”

“Prepare both for war and for a wedding?” asks Sir Leon.

“Yes,” replies Queen Gwen.

“Does that mean you have someone in mind to marry, then?” asks Sir Leon.

“I have someone in mind, yes…. I admit the right person came to my mind immediately when the idea was put forth,” Queen Gwen replies. She looks to the side and does not speak for a moment. Then Gwen turns back and says, “Leon, my friend, I can think of no one I trust more than I trust you, no person better than you, no one else who I believe I can make happy as a wife while we stand together to lead Camelot, to bind myself to for as long as we both may live.” Without looking away from Leon, she takes one of his hands and raises it up between them. “Will you, dear friend, honor me with your hand in marriage?”

Through his surprise, Leon manages to say, “…Me?”

Gwen laughs a little. “Yes, you,” she replies. “Past the respect the knights of the realm have for you, and beyond the well-earned reputation you have for strategy, you as a _person_ are important to me. We know each other well enough to feel love for one another, even if that love has always stayed as well-loved friends. As I said, there is no other person I would rather share my life with in this way.”

Leon, who has gathered his thoughts together, says, “I am honored to accept the proposal of the Queen, and, as your friend, Gwen, I must say I am deeply touched by all you have said.”

Gwen’s answering smile is brilliant. “I am pleased,” she says. “Now I must make the staff ready for a wedding, and you, unfortunately, must continue to look into the plans for a battle that will hopefully never come to pass.” Gwen squeezes Leon’s hand once, then walks out of the room.

Despite his words, a look of uncertainty comes over Leon’s face.


End file.
